MER Primary Care Conferences Infectious Diseases for Primary Care May 22-24, 2026

1. Overview
The “Infectious Diseases for Primary Care” is a conference organized by Medical Education Resources (MER), a non-profit organization. The event is scheduled to take place from May 22-24, 2026, at Caesars Palace Las Vegas in Las Vegas, NV.
2. Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this program, participants should be better able to:

Recognize risk factors, diagnostic indicators and clinical features for osteomyelitis and joint infections.

Describe the epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of common CNS infectious disease syndromes.

List goals of an antimicrobial stewardship program and strategies for antimicrobial treatment.

Describe evaluation strategies for infections in immunocompromised hosts.

Discuss emerging infectious diseases including resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases, zoonoses, and diseases related to animal exposures.

Evaluate the severity of diarrhea and evaluate the need for treatment.

List common causative pathogens for various respiratory tract infections.

Identify patients at risk for healthcare-associated infections.

Review epidemiology and microbiology of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI).

Recommend appropriate immunizations based on patient specific risk factors.

Diagnose and manage genitourinary infections.

Discuss the approach to a febrile patients with potentially life-threatening diseases in both hospital and clinic-associated settings.

3. Target Audience
This program is targeted to office-based primary care providers and other health professionals with updates in primary care medicine.
4. Topics

Bone and Joint Infections: Presentation on the most important syndromes and pathogens involved in bone and joint infections – e.g., osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, bursitis, prosthetic joint infections and others – including related diagnostic, therapeutic and prevention pearls.

Central Nervous System Infections: Presentation on common CNS infectious disease presentation and syndromes including basic epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Antimicrobial Stewardship and Multidrug Resistance: Definition of an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP); Concepts of the antimicrobial stewardship program; Four goals of antimicrobial stewardship; Most recent additions to the antimicrobial armamentarium.

Emerging Infectious Diseases: Novel influenza viruses, resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases, zoonoses and disease related to animal exposures (including vectors such as mosquitoes that bear west Nile virus and dengue), bioterrorism and food/waterborne illness.

Gastrointestinal Infections & Clostridiodes Difficile: Presentation on important enteric pathogens and their recognition, diagnosis and management; special emphasis on clostridiodes difficile colitis and related updates from the ID and infection control literature.

Respiratory Tract Infections: Discussion highlighting critical points regarding the diagnosis and management of pneumonia and bronchitis – with a focus on the impact of multidrug resistant pathogens.

Healthcare-Associated Infections: Presentation on important pathogens in the healthcare setting and related clinical, epidemiologic and infection control information (please note that the discussion on blood-borne pathogens will NOT suffice for standard hospital CME requirements for BBP training).

Infectious Diseases in the Special Host: Case-based interactive discussion involving important infectious disease syndromes in three special hosts: the diabetic patient, the HIV/AIDS patient and the pregnant woman.

Skin & Soft Tissue Infections: Presentation on important skin and soft-tissue infections and their prompt recognition, emphasizing evaluation and management strategies.

Immunizations: Presentation on key vaccine preventable diseases and their presentations with an emphasis on the latest recommendations including newest schedules, safety and efficacy information.

Genitourinary Infections: Presentation on a relevant and clinically practical approach to the patient with genitourinary complaints focusing on the latest guidelines for the range of urinary tract infections and highlights of selected and important sexually-transmitted disease syndromes.

Ambulatory Care Infectious Disease Emergencies: Case-based interactive discussion around exemplary cases that addresses key diagnostic and management strategies for potentially emergent outpatient infectious disease challenges.